Environment Minister Mark H Durkan has recommended planning approval for 127 social housing units at the former St Peters' High School site in Creggan in Londonderry.

The residential development will comprise of six four-bedroom houses, 63 three-bedroom houses, 30 two-bedroom houses, 28 one-bedroom apartments plus new access and site works.

Mr Durkan heralded the decision as "good news for Derry".

"This vitally important project will provide much-needed social housing in an area that has been identified as having an acute shortage," he said. "It will regenerate this former school site into an attractive area for people to live in and enjoy and provide an employment boost during the construction phase.

"This brings the total to over 300 dwellings for social housing in this part of the city as my department recently gave planning approval for 180 dwellings on the adjacent site."